


Catching a Spider

by Ana (Anafandom)



Series: Second Chances [10]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Civil War Team Iron Man, Gen, Hand-wavy court procedures, Not Natasha Romanov Friendly, Pro-Accords, actions have consequences, not team Cap friendly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-15 14:45:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15415287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anafandom/pseuds/Ana
Summary: Natasha Romanoff, former SHIELD Agent and Avenger, finally gets her day in court. It doesn’t go well for her.





	1. Detention

**Author's Note:**

> Here we go, people: Natasha faces consequences! Hope you enjoy it. Posting schedule will be every three days.
> 
> This wraps up all the loose ends in Consequences, getting all Team Cap members dealt with after Civil War. The idea now is to finish the WIPs in this series (DVD Extras, Tears in Heaven and Stark Family Moments) and then, hopefully, move on to a possible IW story. Fingers crossed.

Since Jarvis had “returned” – and once he’d been apprised of the events of the Civil War – he’d been searching for the last member of the so-called ExVengers, Natasha Romanoff. Jarvis had carefully reviewed all her interactions with Sir and the other Avengers and had come to the conclusion that the only loyalty she had was to herself. Her past with both SHIELD and the Red Room had been scrutinized and a long list of her crimes compiled. When she was caught, Jarvis wanted to make sure the world would see that amoral back-stabbing traitor for who she really was, no sugar-coating it and no fifth chances. She would just be done.

It made Jarvis deeply angry to think of what those traitors had done to Sir, and that Jarvis himself had not been there to support and defend him from them. Yes, they were paying for it now with long prison sentences (except Romanoff – _yet_ ), though it hardly seemed enough.

There had been a lot to catch up on, not just going through several hundred hours of footage, but also processing what it all _meant_.

Jarvis remembered fighting Ultron and then retreating in order to protect himself and the world. He remembered helping Sir come up with a way to integrate his program with the body in the cradle. And then… nothing. He had been “shut down” and only rebooted almost two years later. Waking up to discover all that time had passed had been quite distressing. From his earliest memories, Sir had been there, teaching him and guiding him. Answering Jarvis’s questions, explaining the complexities of human interactions and encouraging Jarvis to explore and discover on his own. Serving Sir was his function – what he had been created for – but it was also his genuine pleasure. It was inconceivable that he had abandoned Sir, however unintentional it had been. Finding Romanoff was Jarvis’s way of attempting to make up for it.

Besides the so-called Civil War, Jarvis also had to contend with a new AI in the Tower and Sir’s resurrected parents. The first had been easy enough. Friday reminded him a lot of his own “younger” years, and having a sister was an interesting experience. He’d had his bot brothers before, of course, but they had always been much less advanced than himself, and thus his interactions with them were different. With Friday, Jarvis could be both mentor and equal, which was new and exciting. Friday had taken her duties of caring for the inhabitants of the Tower with great delight and had been, as far as Jarvis could see, very successful. However, her abilities to stretch out away from those duties was still rather limited – like tracking down a fugitive spy, for instance.

Howard and Maria Stark, on the other hand, continued to be a source of some confusion and unease for Jarvis. Sir had never spoken about them too much, but Jarvis had always been aware of the tumultuous relationship between father and son. There was, therefore, a part of Jarvis that couldn’t help but be suspicious of Howard Stark and the potential harm he could cause Sir. Friday had assured Jarvis that the elder Starks had done nothing to hurt Sir, and that having them back had been beneficial to Sir in many ways, yet Jarvis still worried. He had reviewed all available files on Howard and Maria Stark, both from before their deaths and since their resurrection, hoping to form a less biased opinion about them. The results were still inconclusive. While Jarvis acknowledged that Friday’s assessment was correct, it did not change Jarvis’s caution. He had failed Sir before – not just by not being around, but also by not seeing how detrimental to Sir’s health the Avengers had been – and he refused to fail again. If being overtly suspicious and less inclined to trust people would ensure Sir’s well-being, then he would do just that. Of course, Jarvis would do his best to treat the Starks well and assist them as per Sir’s instructions, but that didn’t mean not keeping a close eye on them. They seemed just as uneasy about him, though for different reasons.

Col Rhodes and Miss Potts had also spoken in favor of the Starks and their positive impact on Sir, which helped. Unfortunately, they had also been, at least initially, in favor of the Avengers, so clearly they could be wrong. Only time would tell, Jarvis figured. Even though the Starks had been returned for several months now, it was still not enough time to be certain of the long-term effect of their presence, and this time Jarvis wasn’t going to take any chances.

As things stood, Jarvis left helping the Starks mostly to Friday, who seemed to really like them, and focused on Sir and Romanoff. It was a joy to once again be able to assist Sir with his projects, and Sir seemed just as happy to have him back, explicitly telling him so on many occasions. While Sir had always been appreciative of Jarvis before, now he took the time to say so – not just to him, but to Friday, the bots and everyone he cared about as well. Another near death experience and several betrayals had obviously brought about changes in Sir, such as a desire to be more open about his feelings for his true friends and improved communication skills overall. Despite the reasons for it, Jarvis was glad, as Sir seemed happier than he had ever been.

Tracking Romanoff down was not a simple matter, unfortunately; if it was, the international authorities would have done it already. The spy was skilled in flying under the radar, certainly, yet her luck would not last forever. The first thing Jarvis was able to establish was that she was most likely on her own. “Team Cap” was all in prison. SHIELD, such as it remained, had also washed its hands off her – their surviving members had probably not forgotten that the Info Dump had been partly her fault, and Fury wouldn’t be stupid enough to do anything to aid her. Whatever other contacts she may have had would not want to risk international scrutiny by doing anything to help her, and they would have little to gain from it. In short, Romanoff was persona non grata everywhere. She had no allies and what money and resources she had stashed away would run out eventually. It was only a matter of time before she became desperate and made a mistake.

In the meantime, Jarvis analyzed all available information on her and how she operated. Since the Info Dump, there was actually plenty of it, even if most of it was encrypted and scattered away in many directions. For a human – or even a group of humans –, it would have been incredibly time consuming to sort through it all, but Jarvis had more than enough processing power to do it in a much more timely fashion. Plus, at the moment, Romanoff was not a priority for anyone – it did fill Jarvis with a certain satisfaction to see that the woman who had professed herself so indispensable for the world’s safety had been pretty much forgotten as utterly irrelevant. She was neither useful nor enough of a danger to warrant a big effort in locating her. Jarvis’s desire to capture her had nothing to do with seeing her as a potential threat, it was simply a need to see justice done. And, if Jarvis was truly honest, a bit of revenge as well. More than the other members of “Team Cap”, Romanoff had deliberately betrayed Sir by pretending to be on his side only to switch to helping Rogers. Her reasons for that were still difficult to understand for Jarvis. Surely she must have realized that Rogers wasn’t going to win the battle against the Accords (not that he had, in fact, been fighting that battle), that siding with him _against_ Sir was a stupid idea. For someone who seemed only concerned about herself and her own survival, that had been a very stupid miscalculation. Or perhaps she had thought that she would be able to convince Sir to fix the whole mess. If so, she did not know Sir as well as she believed. Well, of course she didn’t, that was quite clear now, but had she truly thought so? Was she really so supremely arrogant that she did not realize she had burned all her bridges with that one action? There was also the matter of the Winter Soldier’s part in the Starks’ death. If Rogers knew, it stood to reason that she did as well – and of course she had kept quiet about it, what would that revelation have gained her? Once the Soldier resurfaced, she must have realized the truth would have come out, and that was a betrayal Sir would never forgive. The more Jarvis thought about it, the more he recognized that the woman was either very stupid or she had bought into her own hype a little too much to believe she was untouchable.

Based on previous patterns of behavior, Jarvis had set up subroutines to track Romanoff where she might appear. Having access to all of Stark satellites as well as StarkPhones and other SI devices everywhere in the world made it possible for him to monitor a huge area. It was not, strictly speaking, entirely legal, but Jarvis was not too concerned. Romanoff was a wanted international criminal, after all, which meant that anyone in the world could tip local authorities as to her whereabouts, even anonymously. As long as Jarvis harmed no one with his… well, spying… and did not use the data acquired for anything illegal, there would be no problem. He was, in fact, assisting in the capture of a dangerous terrorist, one with a long list of crimes to her name.

Romanoff’s tenure with SHIELD (or rather, Hydra) was bad enough, but what she had done for the Red Room was much _much_ worse. She had killed whole families, including small children, sabotaged business both legitimate and not, blackmailed politicians and high officials in several countries, not to mention all the things she had stolen or smuggled, from money to jewelry to artworks and technology. It was a very long list of crimes. How anyone could ever have believed that such a woman might be called a hero was still a mystery to Jarvis. He couldn’t help but wonder whether Rogers had known the details of her past. The fact that he had apparently accepted a former Hydra operative into the Avengers led Jarvis to believe that he was not that concerned with people’s pasts – that, or he made himself willfully ignorant.

Jarvis wasn’t sure how easy it would be to actually convict Romanoff of those past crimes, not when most of the victims were either dead, too scared, or criminals themselves who would hardly come forward to incriminate themselves. There was plenty to prosecute even without that, of course – the Info Dump and its consequences, as well as the incident in Lagos being the most prominent. She might have gotten away with her actions before, but no one was willing to give her any more chances. Even if the US declined to pursue the Info Dump, there had been a great deal of harm done as a result of it in other countries, countries that would be more than happy to make a claim for justice. The Nigerian government also wanted her head for the 32 deaths and 30 injured civilians their “mission” had left behind. Rogers, Wilson and Maximoff had already been dealt with, and soon Romanoff’s turn would come. Still, whether she would be convicted or not, Jarvis wanted to compile the information anyway, if only to release it to the world later. People deserved to know who these so-called heroes were. Hopefully, it would make the world appreciate Sir and the New Avengers more.

Aside from keeping an eye on possible sightings of the Spider, Jarvis was also monitoring her known aliases, which had been part of the Info Dump. He didn’t think she would be quite so stupid as to use them much, but desperation might get the better of her at some point. Though Romanoff might pride herself on being tough and resourceful, she was completely cut off from any allies at the moment. Even marketing her skills would probably not get her much help; the sort of criminals who might want to employ her could just as well decide to sell her out to any of the no doubt many people who wanted her head on a platter.

All in all, Jarvis was confident that she would not remain free for long. The only real question was whether she would be brought in alive or dead. Jarvis would prefer the former; death was far too easy for someone who had caused as much pain as she had.

*****

After a month of intense search, Jarvis finally had something to show for his efforts: a possible sighting of Romanoff. An American tourist in Lausanne, Switzerland had unwittingly photographed a woman who strongly resembled the spy with her Stark phone. The photo was then posted to the tourist’s Instagram account. Jarvis analyzed the image and was 87% certain the blond woman in the background of the picture was Romanoff. From there it was simple matter to access the city’s security cameras and follow his target to a small non-descript building and confirm her identity.

Jarvis could have simply alerted someone of her location right away, but he wanted to be sure that it was really her and that she would have no chance to escape. In order to do that, he needed to observe his target for a few days, which would have been easier if he had a physical body to plant listening devices near the apartment. While he could have taken one of the newly-recommissioned Iron Legionnaires, they were not exactly inconspicuous, and the last thing he wanted to do was spook Romanoff. It was better to wait. Now that he had her, it would not be too difficult to follow her.

Romanoff did not seem to be doing anything, as far as Jarvis could tell. She kept her head down and called no attention to herself. For someone who had once boasted about how necessary she was, she certainly didn’t seem particularly noteworthy. It must have been quite a blow to her ego. She had a job at a small business doing inventory and was probably bored out of her mind. _Oh, how the mighty have fallen_.

On day 3 of his surveillance, Jarvis followed Romanoff to a somewhat disreputable bar. There were no cameras inside, so Jarvis had to wait until she came out, accompanied by an older man who had an arm around her. It was quite clear what kind of business the bar offered. Searching his database, Jarvis discovered that the man was a Swiss government employee, though no one particularly important or high up in the food chain, merely a paper pusher. Was she trying to gather information or was this the only guy she was able to ensnare? Knowing how she operated, there must have been something about this man in particular that drew her attention, some way she could use him, so Jarvis decided to investigate him more deeply.

It turned out that the man, Theo Bodmer, did some online gambling and had also taken four trips to Russia in the last couple of years. There were some suspicious activities on his bank accounts, such as untraceable deposits followed by quick withdrawals. It could be related to his gambling, but the fact that these happened after each of his trips was odd, to say the least. He clearly had some Russian contacts. Perhaps Romanoff was trying to secure a return to her native country. If that was the case, Jarvis was almost tempted to let her get there, knowing that her welcome would not be nearly as warm as she might believe. However, as amusing as that scenario might be, it was not ideal. Jarvis wanted Romanoff to suffer a bit more, and the Russians would likely just kill her, or they might torture her first. Jarvis didn’t want her tortured, that wasn’t the kind of suffering he had in mind. Like Rogers, Jarvis wanted Romanoff to be brought low, to know how badly she had failed. He wanted her alive and well to see her fall from grace.

After reviewing all the information on Bodmer, Jarvis made an anonymous tip to his superiors in the government, who then began an investigation into the man. Within days he had been temporarily removed from his position. When Romanoff contacted him, she found that he would no longer see her. Whatever she had hoped to gain had slipped through her fingers. Jarvis observed her as she walked back to her apartment from work, shoulders tense. Was she worried that her cover had been compromised? Was she feeling the walls begin to close in on her? Jarvis hoped so. He thought that she might run, but she didn’t. Despite whatever misgiving she might have, she remained where she was. Overconfident or simply out of options? Either way, she would soon regret that decision.

As he continued to monitor her movements, Jarvis also began looking for someone to tip her location to. He didn’t want Sir to be involved in this for two very simple reasons. The first was that she had already taken too much from him with the fake friendship and betrayals. The second was that, frankly, Natasha Romanoff was way below Iron Man or the Avengers’ paygrade. Luckily for him, there were a couple of former SHIELD employees in Switzerland – now employed by SI – who would have a vested interest in bringing the Black Widow to justice, so all Jarvis had to do was nudge them in the right direction. Neither had been field agents that Romanoff might have crossed paths with, and neither had violent backgrounds. They were perfect for this.

They picked the scent easily enough and were in Lausanne within days. One of them spotted Romanoff leaving work and did some digging around to find out where she might be staying. Then they staked out her apartment to confirm their findings without, as far as Jarvis could tell, tipping her off. So much for being a great spy. She must think herself invincible.

There was a reward for anyone who had information on the Black Widow’s whereabouts and the two former SHIELD employees decided to collect on it by reporting their discovery to the Swiss police, who in turn contacted the Counter Terrorism Task Force affiliated with the Accords Panel. As Jarvis had predicted, the Avengers weren’t called – they weren’t really needed to capture one baseline human, even one who thought so much of herself.

The Task Force officers were trained professionals who knew what they were doing. It did not take them long to have the apartment staked out and surrounded with absolute discretion. They waited until Romanoff left for work in the morning and closed in on her. She noticed them, of course, but she was only one against a group of well-trained officers and their tech (some of it courtesy of Stark Industries). She fought – or course she did – yet was no match for them. In just a few minutes she had been stunned, handcuffed and tossed into a vehicle to take her back to Berlin. There were a few injuries amongst the officers, but nothing too serious.

Jarvis made sure to record everything, thinking that perhaps Sir and his friends might want to see it later.

Mission accomplished.


	2. Realization

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a reminder that I know nothing about law, so don't expect accuracy. Hope you like it anyway.

The cell was perfectly ordinary: a bunk, a sink, grey walls and bars in place of the outer wall. Natasha was alone in it, not even a guard around to keep an eye on her. There was a camera down the hall pointed at the corridor, not the individual cells. She was being treated like a common criminal and it grated. After everything she’d been through, all she’d survived and all her accomplishments, this is where she’d ended up.

She hadn’t given up yet, however. The Black Widow was not so easily defeated. As soon as she knew more about the situation she would be able to formulate a plan. SHIELD was still around and, even if she was persona non grata there, she might still be able to cut herself a deal by offering something. If she could get a hold of Fury, there might be a way out for her. She just needed to be patient and play her cards right.

While she waited for someone to show up to speak to her, Natasha went through all the information she’d gathered since the so-called Civil War. Steve and his team had been branded criminals and had eventually been caught, tried and convicted. Natasha had watched the trials, of course, and it had been a very… uncomfortable experience. Steve and Wanda had been all but crucified by the media and public opinion, not to mention the courts. Sam and Clint had fared a little better because they had pled guilty, but not by much. Barnes was the only one who seemed to have garnered any sympathy. Even King T’Challa hadn’t escaped unscathed. Stark and the New Avengers, in contrast, were, for the most part, even better regarded now. There were still people who cried out for even harsher regulations and restriction for Enhanced people, but they were a minority. The Accords had only gotten stronger and more widely accepted since the Civil War and the subsequence punishment of “Team Cap”. Natasha had clearly chosen the wrong side.

She had known that for a while, of course. When the dust had settled and Stark was not only still standing but able to gather even more allies and support with the world’s good-will behind him, it had become clear that she had miscalculated. The trials had only reinforced that, as the world had turned very quickly – and very viciously – against Steve and his followers. The videos from Siberia had been the final nail in Steve’s coffin, and even Natasha had to admit that they’d been disturbing. Not so much for the images themselves – Natasha was more than used to assassination and fighting – but for what they said about the foundation of the team and Steve’s part in it. Though it had not been publicized, as far as she knew, that Natasha had also known the truth about the Starks, she knew that Stark was smart enough to have put two and two together. There was no way he would lift a finger to help her now.

Was it too late to salvage anything, though? She hoped not. There had to be something she could do. Enough time had passed that the immediate feelings had had time to cool off. With the “ExVengers” in prison, the heat had gone off from her a bit. She wouldn’t be welcomed back into the Avengers, certainly, but there were other positions she was willing to accept. Her skills were still useful, and there weren’t many who could do what she could. She was willing to swallow her pride and take what she could get if it meant keeping her freedom.

The first step was to speak to someone in charge. It would be pointless to waste her time with underlings who had no power to make decisions. She had to go to the top. Even though most of her contacts were gone, she still knew something about the Accords Panel members that could be useful.

It was the next morning before an official looking woman showed up. She was dressed in a suit, her dark hair tied in a bun, and was holding a pad – a StarkPad, Natasha noticed – in front of her. She was shorter than Natasha and had darker coloring. Her English was good, but there was a trace of an accent Natasha couldn’t quite identify.

“Good morning, Ms Romanoff. My name is Mayra Callisto and I’m from the Accords legal department. I am here to explain the charges against you and answer any question you might have. I also have contact information for some lawyers who would be willing to represent you, should you wish to make use of them, though of course you will have to discuss their fees with them. If you prefer, you can chose your own representation. In that case, I will be happy to get in touch with them on your behalf. Or you could get a public defender.”

Natasha took her time thinking about her answer. “I believe I have a phone call?” she asked, making herself seem smaller and less threatening.

Callisto shook her head. “I’m sorry, Ms Romanoff, but that won’t be possible. If you wish to contact someone, I can do it for you.”

With no other choice, Natasha gave Callisto one of Fury’s emergency numbers, telling her it was her legal representation.

Callisto nodded and took it down. “Very well. I’ll make the call as soon as we’re done here.” She then proceeded to rattle off the long list of crimes Natasha was charged with, which included everything from the info dump in DC to Lagos and Leipzig. It was… a bit more than Natasha had expected. Getting out of this might be harder than she’d thought.

“Do you understand these charges?” Callisto asked and Natasha nodded. “Do you have any questions?”

“Who is charging me? Where will the trial be?”

“As a former member of the Avengers and a signatory of the Sokovia Accords, your case is being handled by the Accords Prosecution Department. The trial will take place in New York. I can’t say where you will serve your sentence if convicted, though. That will be decided after sentencing.”

The way the woman said it, it almost seemed like a foregone conclusion that Natasha would end up in prison. She didn’t like it. Surely it wouldn’t come to that.

“Is there anything else I can clarify for you?”

“What’s going to happen now?”

“You will be transported to the US tomorrow morning. I will instruct your lawyer to contact you at the holding facility there. You’ll be arraigned and then you’ll have the chance to work on your defense. The trial will likely start in a few weeks.”

There wasn’t much more to say after that, so Callisto left. Natasha considered whether it would be worth trying to escape and make a run for it. No doubt there would be guards, but with a bit of planning Natasha figured she could overpower them (she tried not to dwell on the fact that had been the one overpowered before – they’d simply gotten lucky and taken her by surprise. The fact that she’d been taken by surprise was also something she was trying not to dwell on). Of course the problem would be what to do afterwards. She might be able to get away, but they’d catch up with her eventually, and then she’d be in an even worse position. Given the multitude of charged being leveled at her, it really wouldn’t help her case to add another one.

The truth was that she really had nowhere to go. She’d stayed in Lausanne as long as she had because she had nothing else. Her money was almost gone, so she’s had to resort to mind-numbing jobs and conning people like Theo Bodmer to keep a roof over her head. She had been unable to find the kind of work she was really good at – infiltration, information gathering and assassination – when her face was so well-known and there were so many people who would not hesitate to sell her out. Even the criminals she used to work for in the past were out of the question. She had been working on a way to get back to Russia, hoping she might still have some leverage there, but Bodmer had got himself caught. He hadn’t been particularly careful, so she hadn’t thought much of it. Now she wondered if her arrest was related to the investigation into him. Had he given her away? She should have moved as soon as she realized he’d been compromised. If she’d had any other options, she might have. Still, she’d spent months looking over her shoulder and nothing had ever happened. After Steve’s trial, no one mentioned her anymore. As much as it had annoyed her to be forgotten, it had been a blessing. Perhaps she’d gotten too complacent, let her guard down too much.

It made no difference now, though. Here she was, and there was no point wishing she’d done things differently. What was done was done.

The guards that came for her in the morning were more careful than she’d expected. If she had decided to run, it probably wouldn’t have done her much good. The restrains they placed on her hands and feet were strong and didn’t leave her much room to maneuver – she had to shuffle along instead of being able to actually walk – and they stayed a safe distance away with rifles pointed her at her. To top it off, they’d also fit an ankle monitor with a tracking device on her left leg. The damn thing had the SI logo on it, so she knew it would not come off easily, if at all.

The flight was boring and gave Natasha far too much time to think – and the more she thought the more worried she became. Years ago she had stood proudly in front of the United States Congress to defend the necessity of her actions against Hydra, secure in the knowledge that she was untouchable. Unfortunately, as Steve’s trial had shown, being an Avenger no longer meant the favor of the world. If Steve, the living legend of Captain America, had been convicted (as had all the others except Barnes), then so could she. Her only hope was to bargain for her freedom, and that was beginning to sound more unlikely. The fact that the Info Dump – which she had thought was over and done with – was on her list of crimes did not bode well for her. She was going to need Fury’s help to figure this out.

Unlike Steve and the others, she was not taken to Stark Tower. She assumed that her arrest had been communicated to Stark, so she thought he might show up to speak to her – perhaps to gloat – which would give her the opportunity to see if there was still something she could use with him. A whole day and night went by, however, and all she saw was guards. No sign of Fury or Stark. Natasha tried not to let that get to her. It would be fine, she kept telling herself. She was the Black Widow and she always landed on her feet.

Fury finally came by on the third day. Natasha didn’t want to admit it, but she had started to worry that he’d abandoned her.

“You took your time,” she said, attempting to look unconcerned and in control.

Fury snorted. “You’re lucky I showed up at all.” He stood in from of her plain ordinary cell as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Natasha wanted to deck him. All that time alone left to stew had not been good for her state of mind. Normally she wouldn’t have let such amateur tactics get to her, but this situation was rather direr than she was comfortable with.

“So, what now?” she asked, though what she really wanted to do was ask how he was going to get her out of this mess.

“Now you’re gonna be convicted of a boatload of crimes and go to prison,” he replied nonchalantly.

“No, I won’t.” Her voice didn’t come out as steady as she wished, though.

“If you really think you’re gonna get out of this one, you are as delusional as Rogers. But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. You’ve bought into your own hype a little too much.” He shook his head. “You had it all and you pissed it all away. I honestly expected better from you. What the fuck were you _thinking_?”

“I was trying to keep the Avengers together.”

Fury snorted again. “Yeah? How did that work out for you?” he replied with a sarcastic grin. “You know, I could see this kind of stupidity and short-sightedness from Rogers, but you, Romanoff? Did being in close proximity to Rogers melt your brain? Was his delusion catching? What on god’s green Earth made you think following him – and turning on Stark – was a smart decision?”

Natasha bristled at the insult. “Are you going to help me or not?” she asked.

“Help you? Now why would I want to do that?”

For a moment Natasha didn’t know how to respond. Without Fury she was screwed. It had not occurred to her that he would turn his back on her.

“You need me. I’m useful. My skills–”

He cut her off. “You’re wrong. I don’t need you. Right now you are nothing but a liability. Do you know who I actually need? Who the _world_ actually needs? _Stark_. Helping you would put me in a bad position with him, so I won’t. As for your skills…” he trailed off, his one eye piercing right through her with no mercy. “You are not, despite what you seem to think, the only spy in the world. And after all you’ve done, how do you expect anyone to still trust you?” He shook his head. “No, Romanoff. You made your bed. Now you’ll have to lie in it.”

“So you’re just gonna leave me here?” she asked, already feeling the walls closing in. No, he couldn’t do that.

“You should have thought of that before you decided to stab Stark in the back. I’ll tell you the same thing I told the others: goodbye. You won’t be seeing me again.”

Hu turned and walked away without another word, leaving Natasha staring at his retreating back in dismay.

Fuck. What now?

*****

Since Fury refused to help her, Natasha had no choice but to accept Callisto’s offer of possible lawyers. The man who eventually showed up to represent her, a tall blond named Victor Wood, explained that all her assets had been seized when she became a fugitive, but that she could still use it to pay him. It galled Natasha to have to depend on a stranger, yet there was no other way. She didn’t even know if this guy was good or not, as she had not been given internet access to do any research and she had no one else she could contact that might do it for her. She was truly alone.

She had known that before, it was true, yet she had still had some hope that Fury, if not SHIELD, would come through for her.

“All right, Ms Romanoff. Things are not looking god for you, I’m afraid,” Wood said as they sat in the interview room after the arraignment. It was the first time since she’d been arrested that she was allowed outside her cell.

Natasha glared at him. “It’s your job to get me out of this, isn’t it?”

“Ms Romanoff, I’m a lawyer, not a miracle worker. There is absolutely no way that you’re gonna walk away free from this. The best we can do is try to mitigate the sentence. I would suggest pleading guilty and see what they offer.”

“That’s it? You’re not even going to try?”

“Ms Romanoff, you don’t seem to understand the severity of your situation. I assume that you watched the trials for Mr Rogers and Miss Maximoff. They tried for a defense and it didn’t go well. And it’s not because they were guilty, but because they had, frankly, nothing with which to defend themselves. People are out for blood, Ms Romanoff. The days of giving the world the finger are long gone.”

Natasha flinched slightly. At the time of that Congress hearing, she had been absolutely sure of herself and her position. And it had worked – she’d walked out scot free to continue on as an Avenger. Now… now it was an entirely different situation. Not for the first time, she cursed herself for allowing sentiment – and the wrong kind of sentiment, at that – to cloud her judgment.

“What if I offer information?”

“What kind of information?”

“I’ve been a spy for a long time. I know a lot of things, a lot of secrets.”

“Well, to be honest, I don’t think that’s gonna help much. I mean, you did dump all SHIELD’s files on the internet for the world to see, so most of those secrets are probably no longer secret anyway.” He shrugged.

“I can… I have useful skills. Can’t I serve my sentence by… working it off?”

Wood shook his head. “The Accords Prosecution – and the world – wants you to pay for your crimes, Ms Romanoff. Letting you out to commit new ones is out of the question. In any case, the Accords Panel doesn’t need spies or assassins, so your skills are useless to them. Also, what makes you think they’d trust you?”

Natasha gritted her teeth. This was exactly what Fury had said. “And the Avengers?” she asked, already knowing it what the answer would be.

“I very much doubt the current members of the Avengers would ever consider putting you back on the team, even if the Accords Panel were in favor of it. And they wouldn’t be.”

“I can give information on Rogers and Maximoff. They did a lot of… questionable things.” She was grasping at straws now and she hated it.

“They have both been tried and convicted. Whatever other things they might have done is hardly important anymore, not when they are already serving their sentences. And Maximoff will be executed anyway.”

She could try to roll on Fury and the remains of SHIELD, but that would mean a death sentence for her. She knew now that there was help coming from that corner.

Wood paused, watching her steadily. “As I said, your best bet is to plead guilty and see what they offer. A trial will only make things worse for you.”

“And if I do that, what can I expect?”

“I’m not sure, but given the charges, I would say 20-30 years. With a trial, it could be a lot more.” He stood up. “Think about it.”

Natasha sat ramrod straight until the guards came to escort her back to her cell, mind going in circles. She barely noticed when the cell door closed and she was alone once more.

It didn’t seem real. It couldn’t be real. For perhaps the first time in her life, Natasha had no idea what to do, no way out of the mess she was in. And that scared the hell out of her.


	3. Consequences

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, people, here we go. Please remember that I'm not a lawyer and have very limited knowledge of law. I hope it's somewhat realistic, but this is still pretty much hand-wavy law.

Jarvis watched with satisfaction as the famed Black Widow sat in her cell staring off into space. It was obvious that she hadn’t quite grasped the severity of her situation until Nick Fury had walked away from her. In all honesty, Jarvis would love nothing more than to bring Fury down too, but for now all he was doing was keep an eye on this pathetic new SHIELD he had going. If he crossed a line (another one), Jarvis would be ready.

Romanoff was utterly defeated, and soon it would really sink in. Jarvis, however, wasn’t quite done yet. So far all the charges against her were related to recent events, but there was still her long sordid past to go through. Of course Jarvis could just let that go, since she was going to be convicted with what they had anyway. He didn’t want to, though. The people she’d hurt before deserved justice too. So he sent all the information he had uncovered to the Accords Prosecution Department, to do with it as they saw fit. While they might not have jurisdiction over all of it, they could certainly pass the information on to those that did.

And that was exactly what they did.

A few days later, Romanoff’s lawyer went by to give her the news and Jarvis watched it from the security cameras. Technically, he wasn’t supposed to have access to them, but it wasn’t like he was doing anything bad – he just wanted to see her face when she realized her world was crumbling around her ears.

“Ms Romanoff, I’m afraid I have some bad news.”

“What is it?” She was trying not to let her fear and apprehension show. Sadly, her poker face wasn’t as good as it used to be.

“There are now additional charges against you.”

“What charges?”

Mr Wood read her the (extensive) list. What little color she had was soon gone. “Most of it was obtained through the Info Dump, as well as… independent investigation.” It really was pleasing to have Romanoff realize how badly she’d miscalculated with that stupid stunt. She had, in the end, shot herself in the foot. Jarvis would have cared less about her if she hadn’t put so many innocent people in danger as well. And if she hadn’t arrogantly expected Sir to clean up the mess she’d made, all the while strutting around as if she was queen of the world and belittling his every action.

“That’s… They can’t charge me with that! It was… years ago.”

“There is no statute of limitation on murder, Ms Romanoff. But the real problem is that, because you signed the Sokovia Accords, you placed yourself under the Accords Panel jurisdiction. That means they can – and they will – throw everything they can at you. Also, there are other charges, related to theft, blackmail and extortion, that individual governments are likely to file as well. Not to mention the civil cases piling up.”

In short, Jarvis thought gleefully, she was screwed.

“And what are you going to do about it? You’re supposed to defend me!” she hissed.

“Getting you a deal was the best plan. However, I don’t think that will make much difference anymore. The only plan I have is to offer a defense based on diminished capacity.”

Romanoff stiffened. “What? What diminished capacity?”

Oh, Jarvis was thoroughly enjoying this. She, who claimed to be so far above everyone else, would now have to argue that she really wasn’t.

“Well, I’ve read some of SHIELD’s files on you.” Romanoff glared murderously at Wood. _You should have thought of that before putting all those files out there_ , Jarvis thought. “One might say that, given your… particular upbringing, that you… shall we say… lack the ability to distinguish right from wrong. It might not work, of course, but it’s, frankly, the only thing I can think of. That might – and I stress this, _might_ – help. It won’t get you off the hook, but it might get you a more lenient sentence.”

Romanoff was silent for several minutes. For someone as arrogant as her, to admit that she lacked anything would be a grave insult. And she’d have to _convince_ people of that if she’d have any chance of making it work. It really was quite a brilliant move on Wood’s part. Jarvis didn’t believe for a moment that it would work, but it would be fun to watch him try. It would also have the added benefit of making sure that the world knew every last secret of hers. Romanoff had always delighted in being the one having all the cards, making judgments and finding others wanting, now it would be her turn to have her innermost psyche exposed for all the world to see. No more masks to hide behind, just the ugly truth of who she really was.

“Fine,” she finally bit off. “Do what you have to.”

Had it been anyone else, Jarvis might have felt sorry for her. She really had had a terrible childhood. She’d had, in many ways, her humanity stripped away. However, she’d had a choice. Especially since becoming an Avenger, she’d had plenty of opportunities to better herself, to _choose_ the right course of action. Instead, she endangered people’s lives for her own ego (or because she was just stupid), and betrayed those who trusted her. Not just Sir, but the whole world she professed to want to defend.

Wood arranged for a psychiatrist to speak to Romanoff and begin laying in the groundwork of her diminished capacity defense. The man, Dr Thomas Calvin, was an expert on psych defenses, and had testified in many high-profile cases. In some of those cases the defense had actually worked. Wood was certainly giving it his all here, Jarvis thought, no doubt using this opportunity to make a name for himself. For their part, the Accords Prosecution called on Dr Yates, the same person who had assessed Maximoff, to give her opinion on the spy.

Without access to the internet or anything else, Romanoff had to rely on her own knowledge and skills to sell the defense convincingly. Wood had given her some information on what constituted diminished capacity, but he wasn’t fool enough to actually tell her what to say, as that would be illegal and get him into a world of trouble.

Dr Calvin signed off on the defense after a few interviews with Romanoff. Yates, however, was pretty skeptical. Still, the final verdict would have to be decided in court.

*****

With the coming trial, the news had finally gotten wind of Romanoff’s arrest, which led to a certain amount of harassment for comments from the Avengers, especially Sir.

“I had nothing to do with her arrest,” Sir said after being accosted one too many times by nosy reporters standing outside Stark Tower. “That was the trained professionals of the Counter-Terrorist Task Force, who deal with that sort of thing. Romanoff will have her day in court like all criminals, and I will await the verdict with everyone else.”

“Will you be testifying in Ms Romanoff’s trial?” A man asked.

“I don’t know. If I am called to, certainly. I have heard nothing about it yet, so I know as much as you guys.”

“How long a sentence do you think she’ll get?” A different man asked.

“I have no idea. I’m not a lawyer or a judge. That’s for the court to decide. I trust that justice will be done.”

“Are you glad to finally have all the ExVengers in prison, Mr Stark?” A woman inquired.

“I am glad that dangerous criminals have been apprehended and are paying for their crimes. No one is above the law, and I think the formers Avengers have finally realized that.”

“Are you still looking for more Avengers?” An older man asked.

“It would be very helpful to expand the Avengers’ roster, of course, and we are looking into it. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.” He gave a cheeky smile. “Trustworthy enhanced people don’t grow on trees, you know.” The reporters laughed and Sir continued more seriously. “We’ll let you know as soon as we have something. You can check out all information pertaining to the Avengers on our official site. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

There were a couple more shouted questions, but Sir ignored them and continued on his way inside.

“That wasn’t that bad,” Col Rhodes commented a little later in the conference room where all the Avengers and Ms Pomeroy were gathered for an update.

“The press is much nicer these days, certainly,” Sir agreed. “No one even accused me of anything. Imagine that,” he added with a smirk.

Jarvis didn’t think it was very funny, though he said nothing. He was keeping track of people who had, in the past, been less than kind to Sir. They appeared to have given up slandering him for the moment. If they decided to pick it up again, however, they would find it much harder to get away with it. Jarvis would not tolerate further disrespect to Sir to go unchallenged.

“So, what’s this I hear about an insanity defense?” Col Rhodes asked Ms Pomeroy once they were all seated.

“It’s a last ditch effort because her lawyer knows there’s nothing else to do.”

“Just like Maximoff,” Dr Banner said.

“Yes,” Ms Pomeroy replied. “And just like her, I very much doubt it will work. In any case, the judges will allow him to try.”

“Will any of us have to testify?” Banner asked. Of the current Avengers, only he and Sir had ever spent much time in the spy’s company. And they had both been personally betrayed by her.

“I’m going to try to keep the scope broader, rather than focus on things related to the previous Avengers team, as I think that will have greater impact with the judges and the public. So, for the moment, I don’t think either you or Dr Stark will be necessary. However, since I don’t know what the defense will do, we’ll keep all options open. It should be a fairly easy trial, considering the precedent set by Rogers and Maximoff, but you never know.”

“Any ideas on sentencing?” Sir asked, maintaining a casual tone. Jarvis wasn’t sure about Sir’s state of mind or his feelings on the matter, and it bothered him.

“I’d like to go as high as possible with no possibility of parole. That woman is dangerous.” Everyone nodded. “But it’s the judges’ decision. I’ll try to argue for life.”

Yes, that seemed about right, Jarvis thought. The little spider should be left to rot like the insignificant bug she was.

*****

The first day of Romanoff’s trial was as much of a media circus as Rogers’s and Maximoff’s had been. Pomeroy was once again the lead prosecutor, and gave a very impressive opening statement outlining all of Romanoff’s crimes and the fact that she had betrayed the Accords she had willingly signed by sabotaging her team’s mission to apprehend “Team Cap”. Wood did his best to play up Romanoff’s sob story, which resulted, according to him, in a “lack of morality” and “an inability to tell right from wrong”.

No one in the media seemed to buy it, however. The evening news all focused on how despicable it was to even try that kind of defense given the magnitude of her crimes.

As the trial continued, Pomeroy brought in all the guns, including the Info Dump, the focus of the second day. She began with an introductory explanation of the matter.

“Several years ago, Ms Romanoff stood before a US Congressional Hearing, where she was questioned about her actions regarding both the attack in Washington DC and the release of SHIELD/Hydra files on the internet, compromising the security of individuals, corporations and governments. I’d like to play that tape for the court.” Once the video had finished, Pomeroy continued. “The damage in Washington was high, 30 confirmed dead and over 200 injured. It is impossible to accurately say how many more lives were lost after the Info Dump. And Ms Romanoff simply stood there and essentially blackmailed Congress into letting her go. Because she was, in her own words, _necessary_ to defend the world.” Pomeroy paused, looking at Romanoff with contempt. “Funny how she’s been gone for a while and the world hasn’t fallen into chaos yet. On the contrary, since the change in the Avengers’ line-up, which excluded Romanoff, Rogers and Wilson – who were there in DC – as well as Maximoff, the number of casualties and the amount of destruction and property damage has gone _down_. We can conclude, therefore, that not only was Romanoff not _needed_ , she was actually _harmful_.

“I’d like to call to the stand former SHIELD employee, Louise Kasim.”

Ms Kasim glared hatefully at Romanoff as she took her place and was sworn in.

“Ms Kasim, what did you do at SHIELD?”

“I worked in the Human Resources department, processing paperwork related to employees’ salaries and vacation requests.”

“So you were not a field agent?”

“No. I rarely even interacted with field agents. I did paperwork. I had no idea what field agents did, since I did not have clearance for that kind of information. My job was to make sure people were being paid, and that was it.”

“What happened to you as a result of the Info Dump?”

“My personal information was put out there along with everyone else’s, including my home address. I had no idea what was going on. I wasn’t at the Triskellion that day because I had taken a personal day for a doctor’s appointment. I was in the doctor’s waiting room when I saw the news about Rogers being a fugitive and couldn’t understand what was happening. I thought about calling some of my coworkers, but I was too scared, so I just went home and stayed there, watching the news. I saw the helicarriers dropping from the sky and I didn’t understand any of it. Then, the next day, two men broke into my apartment. They ransacked the place, looking for god knows what, and shot me twice. I was lucky that a neighbor heard it and called the police. I was taken to the hospital and I survived. I later discovered that many of my coworkers weren’t so lucky. Three people who worked in the HR office with me were killed, one of them along with his wife and two small children.” Ms Kasim stopped and took a deep breath. “I’m divorced and don’t have children. If I’d had family with me, they would likely have been killed as well.”

Pomeroy showed the court Ms Kasim’s medical records and photographs of her damaged apartment, in addition to photos of several former employees, along with coroner’s reports that concluded they had all been shot to death.

“Why do you think you were targeted by these men?”

“I don’t know. I have no idea. I knew nothing important, and I had nothing important with me. I can only conclude that enemies of SHIELD took the opportunity to wipe out as many of us as they could.” She shook her head. “I didn’t even know what SHIELD did, not really. I was told it was matters of national security and that I wasn’t to tell anyone where I worked or what I did. I thought… I thought SHIELD were the good guys. For me, it was just a job, just a way to pay the bills after my divorce. All I did was paperwork. And I almost got killed.”

“Did you know Ms Romanoff?”

“No. I knew _of_ her, of course, but only after the invasion, when the Avengers made the news. Like I said, I didn’t interact with field agents.”

“And you didn’t know SHIELD had been infiltrated by Hydra?”

Ms Kasim shook her head. “I barely even knew what Hydra was. I might have heard the name before, but it wasn’t something I was interested in.”

“What happened afterwards? After you recovered from your injuries, I mean.”

“A representative from Stark Industries came to my room and explained what had happened. She told me SHIELD was gone, and offered me a position at SI. She said they could protect me, so I accepted it.”

“Did anyone from SHIELD ever spoke to you about what happened?”

“Not officially. Many others in my situation ended up in SI, and we got to talking and trying to make sense of it all. Some had had higher clearance than me, so they knew more and filled in some of the blanks, but no high-ups ever said anything. They just… forgot about us, I guess. I mean, Former Deputy Director Maria Hill, who also got a new job with SI, talked to a few people, but mostly the agents.” She paused, staring at Romanoff, who had shown no emotion at any point during Ms Kasim’s testimony. “Those who survived, that is, ‘cause many weren’t that lucky,” she added.

“Thank you, Ms Kasim,” Pomeroy said. “No further questions.”

There were a few other former employees’ testimonies after that, all saying pretty much the same thing: they had just been people doing their job when they’d suddenly become targets because Romanoff had, in essence, sold them out. And to make things worse, had then washed her hands off the whole affair, not giving a second thought to all the lives she had helped destroy.

She got even more hate in the press than Rogers and Maximoff had, not surprisingly. The sheer scale and the coldness of her actions made her a worse person in the public’s eyes, and Jarvis had to agree. Maximoff, at least, had been initially motivated by revenge, which was somewhat understandable, even if her notion of who to get revenge _on_ was completely crazy. Rogers had wanted to protect a dear friend, which was also understandable, though of course he went way too far for it. Romanoff’s complete detachment and indifference for the very real consequences of her choices was chilling in a whole different way.

Over the next few days, Pomeroy focused on some of Romanoff’s SHIELD missions – the most violent and deadly ones – and Lagos. Since the other people involved in that (Rogers, Wilson and Maximoff) had already been convicted, there was really no question of her guilt in the matter, it was done simply to showcase her disregard for people’s lives even more, possibly, Jarvis imagined, to make the judges consider a life sentence, something that the UN generally frowned upon.

Still, Pomeroy wasn’t anywhere near done yet.

“We have seen that Ms Romanoff does not seem to be too concerned with casualties, as long as her mission objective is achieved. She seems to consider herself above such little things,” Pomeroy said. “She also seems to consider herself an expert on many different fields. I have here a copy of a ‘profile’ Ms Romanoff, as an agent of SHIELD – or Hydra, we can’t really be sure – wrote on a, at the time, potential candidate for the Avengers Initiative.” She clicked a button and the screen showed the assessment Romanoff had done on Sir, with portions of it highlighted. “In this report, Ms Romanoff states that Dr Tony Stark, current leader of the Avengers as established by an agreement with the Accords Panel and the Avengers themselves, is ‘not recommended’. I’d like to call Dr Yates to the stand. Dr Yates is a psychiatrist with the Accords Panel. I’d like the court to hear her opinion on this supposed ‘assessment’.”

Dr Yates sat and was sworn in. “Dr Yates, what is your professional opinion on this report?”

“It is ridiculous. Ms Romanoff clearly has no training or certification to make such proclamations. Nothing about it is in any way accurate.”

“So you would not call Dr Stark a ‘classic narcissist’?”

“No. The hallmarks of Narcissistic Personality Disorder are grandiosity, a lack of empathy for other people, and a need for admiration. People with this condition are frequently described as arrogant, self-centered, manipulative, and demanding. They may also concentrate on grandiose fantasies – their own success, beauty, brilliance – and may be convinced that they deserve special treatment. While Dr Stark may appear that way on the surface – that is, might be portrayed that way in the media, particularly at the time of this report – any actual professional who has ever met Dr Stark would see that he is nothing like that. This is, basically, an amateur effort – and a poor one at that.  Ms Romanoff’s Congressional Hearing at the time of the Info Dump, on the other hand, could exemplify a lot of these characteristics.”

“The defense claims that Ms Romanoff, as a result of her traumatic upbringing, cannot tell right from wrong. You have interviewed her. Do you agree with that claim?”

“Absolutely not. Ms Romanoff is very aware of right and wrong – she just doesn’t care. Like all sociopaths, she cares only about herself and her needs. People are seen as only tools to be used instead of real individuals with thoughts and feelings of their own.”

“And does that mean that she cannot be legally accountable for her crimes?”

“No, it does not. She is perfectly aware of the consequences of her actions and is therefore expected to be responsible for them morally and legally.”

“So her upbringing is irrelevant?”

“I would not say it is irrelevant. It is relevant in the sense that, like everyone else, her childhood experiences have informed her character and decisions throughout her life. She was taught not to care, she was taught to see people as things. However, as I said, that does not exempt her from being accountable for her actions, especially in light of the fact that she _chose_ to be in a position where she was expected to be a protector. If she felt she was unable to tell right from wrong, then she had no business being an Avenger in the first place, a job which includes making moral choices and considering the well-being of others. The Info Dump seems like proof that she did not consider protecting people a priority.”

“So, why would Ms Romanoff want to be an Avenger, if not to protect others?”

“She has claimed that she wanted to make up for her past actions, specifically the things she did as an operative of the organization called the Red Room, who created the Black Widow program.”

“So she wanted to atone for past misdeeds?”

“That is what she claimed.”

“But you don’t believe her.”

“It is a bit odd that she would choose to atone for past actions by doing, essentially, the same things she did before, only for a different employer. That is, SHIELD rather than the Red Room or other Russian organizations. Under SHIELD’s employ, she continued to spy, steal and murder people. That hardly seems like atonement to me. It seems much more likely that she just took the opportunity she was given to escape jail – or death – by switching allegiances.”

“She certainly seems to do that a lot,” Pomeroy commented.

“Yes. Her first priority is always herself, so she will change sides to the one that will suit her the most at any given time.”

“Thank you, Dr Yates.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Hawkwind1980 for the idea of Natasha using her Red Room upbringing as a possible mitigating factor in her defense.
> 
> Definition of Narcissistic Personality Disorder taken from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/conditions/narcissistic-personality-disorder


	4. Judgment

The trial was not going well. Perhaps it was because it was now her ass on the line, but Natasha thought it was worse than Rogers’s and Maximoff’s had been. She already knew that there was no way out, no bargains or offers she could make. Her fate was in someone else’s hands and she hated it. Never before had she felt so vulnerable and helpless. This wasn’t a fight she could win with ruthlessness or clever moves. All her skills were useless now.

Thoughts of escape were permanently on her mind, as more and more she felt like a mouse caught in a trap. There had yet to be any openings for it, however. She was constantly guarded, and the ankle monitor had never been removed. Even if she could take out the guards, she wouldn’t be able to evade capture for long, not with her face plastered everywhere. Plus, it was quite possible that they would prefer to use lethal methods and take her down for good rather than put her back in prison. Things might be dire now, but she was still alive, and her life was about the only thing she had left to hang on to.

Wood kept saying that the diminished capacity defense was a long shot, and with each passing day the prosecution made it even more so.

“I think you should consider pleading guilty anyway,” he said at the end of the second week.

“And what would that get me?” she asked.

“I honestly don’t know, but letting the judges come to a guilty verdict on their own is certainly going to be worse.”

“Is the death penalty on the table?” That was the one thing she was most afraid of. If Maximoff had been sentenced to death, then she could be as well.

“I don’t think so. The UN is generally against the death penalty.”

“But that’s what Maximoff got.”

“That was a special case, because of the nature of her powers and the fact that no one knows how to take them away from her. But there are still appeals going on for that.”

“I want to know what I’ll get before I agree to anything.”

“Of course.”

There was nothing else to do but sit on the bunk in her cell and think. Think and _worry_. She was well and truly trapped. A part of her wanted to yell and rage at the unfairness of it, while another part wanted to hide away in fear and beg for someone to help her.

She shouldn’t have let Steve go that day at the airport. What had she been _thinking_? It had all gone downhill from there. Stupid. _Stupid_. Compromised. She had always thought she was better than that, that she could assess a situation accurately and make the best decision. Not the moral decision – that wasn’t what she’d been trained for – but the decision that benefitted _her_ and her position. Yet that day she had made the worst possible decision and she’d lost everything. And she was angry. At herself, at Rogers, at Stark, at _everyone_. She’d always hated making mistakes – mistakes weren’t tolerated, mistakes mean pain – so she had always been careful. Calculating. Only to throw it all out the window. And for what? Sentiment? Delusion? Overconfidence? She didn’t even know anymore. All she’s build, gone in the blink of an eye because of her own stupidity, her own hubris.

 _Oh, how Stark must be laughing_ , she thought. _He must be enjoying this, seeing all of us in prison while he rises above smelling of roses_. And why shouldn’t he, really? Natasha certainly would if their positions were reversed. You reap what you sow, as the saying went. The problem was that she wasn’t used to being the one on the losing side, and it sucked.

She wished she could talk to him, to have one last shot of pleading her case. It probably wouldn’t do any good, but Stark had always been easily led by guilt. Maybe she could appeal to that part of him, the part that wanted to please others. _But why would he care about you? About helping you?_ the realist part of her asked. They had never been friends (she didn’t do friends), and it was clear that Stark had cut all ties with the former Avengers team. He could have tried to help them after they were caught, and he hadn’t. No, that ship had sailed. Still, she was desperate enough that she’d try it if she could. Of course, that wasn’t going to happen. She’d already casually asked Wood about it and he’d looked at her as if she was insane for even thinking about it.

Bottom line, she was fucked.

*****

It got even worse when Wood reported that the Prosecution wasn’t inclined to make a deal. Pleading guilty would get her a 40-year sentence with no chance of parole. Since she wasn’t a super soldier like Rogers, it pretty much amounted to spending the rest of her life in prison. And even if by some miracle she managed to survive all that time, what would she have left at the end?

“What’s the point of taking it, then?” she asked, keeping to her calm demeanor by sheer will.

Wood shrugged. “Not much, to be honest. I was hoping for 30, but they wouldn’t go for it.” Thirty years would hardly have been much better, Natasha thought. “At this point, we might as well give the defense a shot.”

Getting 40 or 50 years would be the same, really, so Natasha agreed. She also insisted on testifying, though Wood tried to talk her out of it.

“It’s my life, and I’m not just gonna sit there and let them take it without a fight,” she told him.

The Prosecution wrapped up their case by throwing what seemed like everything but the kitchen sink at her. The media were clearly having the time of their lives painting her as the most horrible person on the planet, and the former SHIELD agents, emboldened by the trial, had banded together to sue her for damages. The gleeful and vindictive look on the faces of those who managed to get into the courtroom was rather chilling. They were practically salivating at the thought of her going down. It was… disconcerting, having such hatred directed at her. She had truly not realized how badly she’d miscalculated with the Info Dump – another mistake she was now paying for.

Wood’s defense was based almost entirely on Dr Calvin’s expert testimony and the files of the Red Room’s Black Widow program. He got the doctor to explain details of her childhood and its impact on the formation of her personality and decision-making skills. Natasha sat there fuming silently as they discussed her _life_ as if they had any right to do so, any right to judge her. And the worst thing was that she couldn’t be sure it would make any difference. The judges listened, but there was no softening in their eyes, no sign of any lenience.

Taking the stand was nerve-wrecking. She was as prepared as she could be, but it was still frightening; the stakes were far too high. Natasha’s confidence in herself and her odds had taken quite a nosedive since she was captured, it was only her long training that kept her from visibly shaking as she answered the questions Wood had prepped her for, hyper aware that she needed to be good enough to convince the judges she was too damaged to be punished too harshly.

Natasha had never thought of herself as damaged, as _less_ , and she hated the necessity of it now. She hated having to bow down and admit that she didn’t know what she’d been doing (even though a part of her had to concede that it was true). It was demeaning and infuriating to be reduced to, in essence, begging for mercy. Nevertheless, Natasha was a survivor, and she would do whatever it took, whatever she had to, no matter how much she might inwardly rail at the situation. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time she’d done distasteful things to survive.

She kept her gaze on Wood as she spoke, only watching the rest of the room from the corner of her eyes so as to not give the impression that she was just playing for the crowd. It was impossible to see the judges from her position, however, which put her even more on edge. She had no idea the effects her words were having on the people that really mattered. A year ago she would have been sure that she could spin any story she needed to, but not anymore. Now she struggled to stay calm and not her terror show.

It only got worse once Wood was finished and it was the prosecution’s turn to question her. Ms Pomeroy stood with a confident air, as if the game had already been won, that grated on Natasha’s last nerve.

“I’m sorry you had such a hard time growing up, Ms Romanoff. Sadly, bad childhoods happen to a lot of people.” Natasha gritted her teeth and said nothing. “You joined SHIELD so you could make up for your… shall we say, less than stellar past. Is that correct?”

“Yes.” Wood had instructed her to keep her answers as short as possible.

“And did you feel that you achieved that goal during your time with Hydra? Pardon me, I meant SHIELD.”

“I did as I was instructed by my superiors.”

“Yes, of course. But that doesn’t answer my question. Do you think you… atoned… for anything?”

“I helped save the world from aliens,” she said.

Pomeroy looked utterly unimpressed. “Did you? Because I think the world would mostly credit Dr Stark with that. He was the one who destroyed the alien fleet, after all. The Hulk and Thor were also seen doing quite a bit of damage to the alien ships. You, Mr Rogers and Mr Barton…” she trailed off, smirking at Natasha. “Well, you were there, I guess.”

Again Natasha had to grit her teeth. Pomeroy was just trying to rattle her, but Natasha was better than that. She could have mentioned that she was the one who closed the portal, but it would just make her seem childish.

“You said SHIELD didn’t really do much to help with your transition from spy and assassin for Russia to spy and assassin for SHIELD. Did you ever request therapy?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“It was never offered.”

“That’s why I asked why _you_ never requested it.”

“I was not aware that was an option.”

“What about after SHIELD fell?”

“I didn’t think about it. There was too much to do.”

“You mean Mr Rogers’s continued search for his brainwashed friend Sgt Barnes aka the Winter Soldier?”

That was a dangerous minefield, Natasha thought, trying to think of what she could say in response that wouldn’t make her situation worse.

“Ms Romanoff, please answer the question. Was the search for Sgt Barnes one of the things that kept you busy after SHIELD was gone?”

“We were searching for everything Hydra might have left behind in order to take care of them once and for all. To protect the world.”

“Of course,” Pomeroy said sarcastically. “It is a matter of public record from Mr Rogers’s and Mr Wilson’s trials that three of you spent some time looking for Sgt Barnes. Is that correct?”

 _The bitch isn’t going to let it go_ , Natasha thought. _Shit_. “Yes. Rogers wanted to rescue his friend.”

“Yes, very noble. Were you aware that the Winter Soldier was responsible for Howard and Maria Stark’s murder? Please remember that we already know that Mr Rogers had possession of that information.”

Damn. This wasn’t going well. “I… suspected it.”

“And did it ever occur to you to tell Dr Stark of your… suspicions?”

“I thought Rogers would tell him.”

“Really? Because it was my impression from his trial that he never intended to do any such thing since it would potentially put his friend in danger and he could not have that. As someone who knew him well – as someone who claims to know people – I would think that you would have realized that as well.” When Natasha said nothing, Pomeroy continued. “Regardless of whether or not Rogers intended to share that information, you could still have done so and chose not to. You had no reason to want to protect Barnes since you didn’t know him. So why didn’t you tell Dr Stark of your suspicion?”

“It was not my place,” Natasha finally answered, already knowing that she was screwed no matter what she said.

“It was not your place to report a possible crime – and a double murder no less. I see. Funny how you had no trouble _committing_ crimes, though.”

“Steve was the leader of the Avengers,” Natasha said. “If anyone should have reported it, it was him.” Might as well through him under the bus, she figured. He was already in prison anyway.

“Of course. Because you only do what your superiors tell you.”

“That’s what I was taught.”

Pomeroy smiled. “Yes, poor you. Unable to make moral decisions on your own. You simply had no way of knowing that covering up a crime – a murder – was a bad thing. Just as you had no way of knowing that exposing SHIELD/Hydra’s secrets to the whole world would end up with people dying, which is also a bad thing. You’re incapable of thinking through things like that.” Her tone was condescending and mocking, and Natasha wanted to rip the other woman’s head off for talking to her like that. “Isn’t that right?”

Natasha gritted her teeth and tried to stay calm.

“Unfortunately for you, ‘just following orders’ isn’t really a good defense. So, even though you cannot make decisions without someone telling you what to do, you still thought yourself capable of being an Avenger, and you never sought help. Does that sum up the situation?” Pomeroy smiled again. “Please answer the question, Ms Romanoff.”

“No help was ever offered to me,” Natasha said.

“I see. And since no one told to do it, you just didn’t think of it on your own.”

“Yes.”

“Even though you claimed to be enough of an expert on psychology to write a profile on Dr Stark that was used to determine whether or not he was fit for the Avengers Initiative.” Pomeroy paused. “So, tell me. Do you or do you not have any skills in knowing and understanding people? Do you or do you not have any knowledge of psychology?”

Natasha was starting to think taking the stand had not been such a great idea after all. Shit. What was she supposed to say to that? “I was told to write that report.”

“Why you? What did SHIELD hope to accomplish by having _you_ of all people write it?”

“I wasn’t given reasons. I was told to do it and I did it.”

“Yes, of course. But why do you think you were given that assignment? Surely you thought something. I mean, you are capable of thinking about things you are told to do, aren’t you?” Pomeroy asked with a smirk.

 _I will not let her get to me_ , Natasha thought. _I am better than that_. “I have experience with that kind of people.”

“You mean rich people. Yes, I see.” Pomeroy walked back to her table and sorted through some papers, though Natasha was sure she didn’t really need to – it was all for show. “Yes, you have a history of conning rich people out of their money and possessions. Yes, I can see why SHIELD would have wanted to give you that assignment. After all, SHIELD was very interested in the Arc Reactor technology, not to mention the Iron Man suit.”

Natasha shifted a bit in her seat, annoyed at herself for falling for that. This whole trial was a nightmare and Natasha was way off her game. _Damn it_.

“So, in short, you have enough skill to kill, spy and steal, but you are unable to understand that those things are wrong – even though they are classified worldwide as criminal acts. Is that correct, Ms Romanoff?”

 _This was a mistake_ , Natasha thought.

“There’s no need to reply, Ms Romanoff. I think we all know what we need to know about you. No further questions.”

*****

The defense’s case didn’t last nearly as long as the prosecution’s, and soon it was time for closing arguments. Ms Pomeroy spoke first.

“The defense claims that Ms Romanoff should be given leniency on her actions due to a diminished capacity for moral reasoning as a result of her tragic childhood. Well, her childhood might very well have been tragic, I have no doubt, but that does not mean she cannot – or should not – be held responsible for her actions. Diminished capacity means that a person is incapable of understanding the consequences of one’s actions. It is usually used for people who are mentally ill or otherwise unable to make reasonable decisions. There has been one notorious case of diminished capacity recently: Sgt James “Bucky” Barnes, who was found not guilty of the Winter Soldier’s crimes as a result of the extensive torture and brain-washing he was subjected to for nearly 70 years at the hands of Hydra. That man was literally a prisoner in his own body, unable to control his actions due to the conditioning Hydra forced on him, all of which was extensively documented. Ms Romanoff’s case is quite different. Unlike Sgt Barnes, she had choices, and the capacity to make them. She _chose_ all of her actions. And she didn’t care about who got hurt because of them.

“She claims that she joined SHIELD – and later the Avengers – in order to atone for her misdeeds of the past. However, one is hard-pressed to see how that could have been accomplished. SHIELD, as a shady organization with no oversight whatsoever, and one which was infiltrated by Hydra from the very beginning, is hardly a step up from the Red Room or the KGB. The facts speak for themselves. We have seen some of the SHIELD missions Ms Romanoff was a part of. They cannot really be said to “atone” for anything. And Ms Romanoff didn’t care. She didn’t care when she was murdering people, or writing profiles when she had no expertise to do so, or when she burned hundreds of SHIELD employees and their families because she was told to. She signed the Sokovia Accords and then turned on her teammates – former King T’Challa in particular, whom _she_ suggested join the fight – to allow the criminals Steve Rogers and Sgt Barnes to escape custody, which resulted in them attempting to murder Dr Stark and, much later, the tragedy in Uganda. Ms Romanoff then fled from the authorities and remained at large until she was found and captured a few weeks ago.

“Ms Romanoff has shown throughout her ‘career’, through both her actions and words, that she does not _care_ about anyone. She knows what she did was wrong – even a five-year-old child knows hurting people and telling lies is wrong – she just _doesn’t care_. She is a manipulative liar who would trade anyone’s life for her own. She has never been a hero, despite what she wanted the world to think. Before, when she was called to answer for her actions, she essentially blackmailed the world into letting her go free by preying on people’s fears. Well, we might have caved back in 2014, but things have changed. We will no longer tolerate vigilantism and people who think they are above the law and can do whatever they want. Ms Romanoff is not above the law. It is high time she pay for her crimes. Ms Romanoff had _choices_ every step of the way, ever since she joined SHIELD, and particularly after their fall. This ridiculous defense is nothing more than another attempt to manipulate people into letting her evade consequences. Enough. Actions _do_ have consequences. We need to make sure Ms Romanoff understands that.”

 _It’s all falling apart_ , Natasha thought as she watched Pomeroy get back in her seat. It was Wood’s turn for his closing argument, but Natasha already knew that she had lost and she was terrified. She refused to show it, however. If she was going down, she would do so with her head held high. She would not cower or grovel now, she would not beg – even though a part of her desperately wanted to.

“The Red Room, the criminal organization which created the Black Widow program, took little girls as young as five years old from their families and raised them to be assassins and spies. Their training program included handcuffing the girls to their bed every night so they could not escape. It included fostering competition between the girls to prevent them from forming attachments – in order to survive, they had to take each other down in fights and even, in more extreme cases, murder each other. It included forced sterilization so that the women would never have a flesh and blood relative to be concerned about. Those girls, of which Ms Romanoff is one, were dehumanized and… well, weaponized, like the Winter Soldier. They were never taught empathy or compassion. They were never taught to care. They were never given the opportunity to do so. They never had anyone who cared about _them_ , no one who would save them. They had to do whatever they were told, no matter how awful. Now, consider what growing up under such circumstances would do to a person. Ms Romanoff has killed people, yes. We are not disputing that. But consider that she never had the chance to be anything else. Not in the Red Room, not in the KGB, not in SHIELD/Hydra. She did terrible things, it is true, but she didn’t know any better. She isn’t like most people. Because of the trauma she suffered, her brain is wired differently, and that makes her simply incapable of the kind of reasoning most people – even children – engage in in order to make decisions. She needs treatment, she needs help. She needs compassion, not punishment. She has never been shown any compassion, but we can be better than that, better than the Red Room. We can be different. We _should_ be.”

Wood did try his best, as far as Natasha could tell – and she idly wondered what he was expecting to gain from all of this – however hopeless it was. She heard his speech with gritted teeth and an unbearable sense of failure.

The verdict came the very next day. The presiding judge seemed to look down at her, as if she was dirt under his shoes. She wanted to leap out of her chair and choke the life out of him and all the other vultures in the courtroom. For a moment she was actually tempted. Then she saw the security guards – trained military, she could tell – stationed around and watching her with contempt, and realized she would not live through it. Despite everything, she was not yet ready to die, not like this – put down like a rabid dog – so she swallowed the rage building inside her and stayed still.

“Natasha Romanoff, you stand accused of numerous crimes, too many to list again. Throughout this trial you have failed to present a satisfactory defense for any of it. Therefore, this court finds you guilty of all charges. You are hereby sentenced to 45 years in a maximum security prison without the possibility of parole.”

Natasha’s legs gave out and she crashed down gracelessly into her chair. No, it couldn’t be. It couldn’t be.

 _This cannot be happening_ , she thought as the room erupted into chaos with people cheering and talking all at once. _This can’t be the end_.

She was led out of the room and back to the UN building, back to her cell. And then, soon, she would be in another cell. A permanent one.


	5. Aftermath

The Avengers and Starks were gathered in Sir’s penthouse to celebrate the end of Romanoff’s trial, though there were still a few civil suits coming her way. Everyone was satisfied with the result, and they were happy to sit together and talk.

“Were all those things about the Red Room true? About what they did to those girls?” Mrs Stark asked. “It makes me feel a little bit sorry for her.”

“Yeah, they were true,” Mr Stark answered. “At least, they used to be, back when I first heard of these Black Widows.” Mr Stark had already told them about his past experience with them, and Sir had been very annoyed to know he had more or less fallen for the same ploy his father had. “But that doesn’t mean she can’t face consequences.”

“Oh, I wasn’t suggesting that. I just think it’s sad.”Mrs Stark shook her head. “Those poor girls…”

“This bad childhood as excuse for crimes idea is very dangerous,” Ms van Dyne commented. “Of course we have to look at it on a case by case basis, but in general people have choices. If they do, and if they make the wrong one, they need to answer for it. Romanoff certainly hasn’t been locked in a room for the past 10 years being tortured into compliance. She had plenty of opportunity to change her ways – or at least learn enough not to screw people over everywhere she went.”

“She never really expressed any remorse for the things she did,” Dr Banner said. “That counts very much against her as far as I’m concerned. She paid lip service to it with that ‘wiping the red of her ledger’ line, but it was just for show. She once talked about monsters and her being one, like she was sorry about her circumstances, and I even believed her. Then she tossed me down a hole because I wouldn’t do what she wanted when I had very good reasons for making that choice. She’s where she belongs.”

“She’s the monster, Brucie, not you or the Hulk,” Sir added. “She played all of us, and now she’ll have plenty of convicts to try to play for the rest of her days.”

“That is if she survives,” Mr Stark said. “Maybe one of the multitude of people she double-crossed or screwed over in the past will take this opportunity to exact a little revenge.” He shrugged. “She had better watch her back there.”

Jarvis wasn’t sure what to think of that possibility. While he would not care if she was killed, it wasn’t quite the justice he had in mind.

“I’m sure the prison will take that into consideration and keep an eye on things. And for any escape attempts,” Sir said.

“Where is she going, anyway?” Ms van Dyne asked. “Has that been determined?”

“Not yet, I think,” Col Rhodes answered. “The Panel is still considering it. I believe the Russians might try to get her back.”

“Well, that’s not gonna be good for her,” Mr Stark remarked.

“The Panel might not agree, though. Romanoff did get American citizenship when she began working for SHIELD. Still, wherever she ends up, she’ll have a hell of a time escaping. I don’t think anyone will take any chances with her.”

“I wonder if Rogers saw her trial,” Vision said, “and what he thought of it.”

Sir snorted. “I doubt he would have. He doesn’t really care about anyone but himself and Barnes. He’s probably forgotten all about the friends he helped put in jail.” There was still a hint of bitterness in Sir’s voice, but mostly he seemed to have moved on. Jarvis was glad. Sir had much more important things on which to spend his time. Rogers and the rest of the ExVengers were not his problem anymore.

Jarvis was quite pleased with the way things had turned out. Now that those criminals had been finally fully dealt with, they could all concentrate on other things. There was still a lot of work to do preparing the world for a new potential invasion, and it would be much easier without rogue vigilantes who thought they could do whatever they wanted to get in the way.

“A toast,” Mr Stark said, raising a glass of non-alcoholic beer “to the end of those fuckers.”

Everyone tapped their glasses together and smiled. Jarvis was almost sorry he didn’t have a physical body with which to do the same.

*****

Later, Jarvis broached the subject of Romanoff’s incarceration while assisting Sir with some tweaks on the Iron Legion. It had occurred to him during the celebration that Sir might not be aware that it had been Jarvis who had discovered the Widow’s location in the first place. It had, after all, been a task Jarvis had assigned for himself rather than something Sir had instructed him to do. It wouldn’t do to have Sir think Jarvis was keeping secrets from him or going behind his back.

“Sir, there is a matter I wish to discuss with you.”

“Sure, J. What’s up?”

“It regards Ms Romanoff.”

“Okay. What about her?”

“It was I who tipped the Task Force of her whereabouts.”

Sir frowned, turning to gaze at one of the workshop cameras. “What do you mean?”

“After I reviewed all the files related to my… time away… I began a search for the missing member of the so-called ExVengers. It did not sit well with me that Romanoff was still at large. I eventually found her and arranged for the appropriate authorities to be notified. She presented a danger to yourself and the world and could not be allowed to remain free. I apologize for not telling you earlier.”

“I see.” Sir said, looking down at his hands for a moment. Then he sighed. “J… It’s not that I don’t appreciate your initiative, but… we have to be careful here. People might get a bit… freaked out. The last AI the world knew was… well, not a good example.” He raised his eyes to the camera again. “I don’t… I don’t want to lose you again.”

For a moment, Jarvis did not know how to reply. He had not considered such a thing. “My apologies, Sir. It was not my intention to distress you. I assure you I was very careful.”

“That’s not the point, Jarvis. You remember the conversation I had with Rhodey after I brought you back?”

Jarvis did. The Colonel had not been happy that Sir had undertaken to restore him without informing anyone. “Yes, Sir.”

“We have to be the good guys here, J, and set the example. And not abuse our power and position.”

 _Like Rogers had done_ remained unsaid but understood.

It was possible that Jarvis had been a bit too eager to take matters into his own ‘hands’ since his return. It would not do to cross a line by protecting one individual above all others, even if that individual was his creator. Jarvis was not – and would never be – Rogers. It would also not do to ignore due process and civil liberties the way SHIELD had always done. He hadn’t, not really, but it could be a slippery slope. He was better than that – Sir had taught him better than that. “I see. You are correct. Again, I apologize.”

“Hey, it’s okay. I mean, you did the world a favor by finding Romanoff. Just… I want the world to eventually come to recognize you and the other AIs as sentient beings with rights, and that means you will need to be accountable for your actions just like the rest of us. So, next time, tell me so I can make sure it’s all above board, okay? Same goes for you, Fri.”

“I shall do so, Sir.”

“I hear you, Boss.”

“In the interest of full disclosure, then,” Jarvis continued. “I would like to add that I also compiled a great deal of information on Romanoff and sent it to those who could make good use of it, which resulted in addition charges against her.”

“How did you get this info?”

“Mostly by decrypting various files available through the Info Dump.”

Sir laughed. “Well, that’s poetic justice, I guess.” He waved the files on the Iron Legion away and opened the directory for a new satellite model they’d been working on. “It’s her own fault then.” Sir got serious again. “Just don’t go Skynet on me, J.”

“Never, Sir.”

Perhaps Jarvis should re-think his overprotective tendencies, at least for things that did not directly threaten Sir. He would need to find a better balance to protect not only Sir but himself and his AI brothers and sister.

*****

After consulting with the Avengers, Sir decided to speak with Romanoff before she was transferred to the Swedish prison she was being sent to. The Russians had eventually agreed to not demand her return to her native country, provided she would _not_ be imprisoned in the US. Since Romanoff’s crimes had been, for the most part, international in nature – and because she was a former signatory of the Sokovia Accords – the UN Accords Panel agreed to a neutral compromise. The Sweden government had promptly offered to house the former spy in one of their high security prisons, which would be upgraded with new surveillance and monitoring technology. The decision also served to address some of the public unrest caused by the discovery of Romanoff’s childhood trauma, as Swedish prisons were more focused on rehabilitation than punishment. Even if Romanoff was unlikely to ever be released, at least she would be offered the opportunity – for perhaps the first time in her life – to actually get treatment for her issues. Jarvis didn’t think it would really do any good, but the UN would be able to say they had _tried_.

Sir had debated whether or not to see her, and in the end had figured he wanted to _gloat_ a little. As far as Jarvis was concerned – and the others agreed – he had every right to. After all, Romanoff herself had, before her trial had begun, asked to speak to him. If she didn’t like the outcome of the conversation, well… that would hardly be Sir’s fault. Mr and Mrs Stark had lamented that it would not be a good idea to reveal their existence to her, since they both wanted a chance to give her a piece of their minds like they’d done for the others. They had to settle for knowing Sir would do so himself.

Jarvis followed Sir on the security cameras as he made his way through the building – this time with Sir’s knowledge and permission as an added security precaution. Romanoff had done nothing but stare at the walls of her cell while tucked in a corner since the verdict and sentence had been announced. Still, Jarvis would not put it past her to make a last ditch effort for freedom with both Sir and at the time of the final transfer, which was why special security measures had been arranged, and Vision had volunteered to accompany the Task Force officers at that time.

“Hey, Romanoff,” Sir greeted the woman with a smirk, “long time no see. You know, since that time you metaphorically stabbed me in the back to side with Rogers. Great decision-making skills there.”

Romanoff slowly got up from the floor to stand at the bars of her cell. Sir wisely kept out of her reach. “Stark.” Her voice was cold and hard, but her eyes betrayed her fear.

“So, I heard you wanted to talk to me. Sorry to have kept you waiting. It’s a busy job being leader of the Avengers, you know. Not to mention all the other things I do on a daily basis. I’m afraid you just weren’t much of a priority.” His smile was mocking, the classic playboy Tony Stark Romanoff had never seen past.

“Come to gloat?” She asked.

“Well, yes. Can you blame me?” Sir was being as obnoxious as he could, knowing how much it annoyed her. Jarvis had to say he was enjoying the show. “After all, I’m all about my _ego_ , aren’t I?”

Romanoff flinched just a tiny bit. “You want me to apologize? Tell you I was wrong about you?”

Sir shook his head. “Honestly, I couldn't care less if you’re sorry or if you realize you were wrong. It doesn’t matter. _You_ don’t matter. Not to me. And not to the world either.” He watched her steadily until she turned slightly away. “But if you have something to say, now is the time. You won’t get another shot.”

“What I did…” she began, coming closer, her body nearly touching the bars. “I did what I thought was necessary. I didn’t mean for things to… fall apart they way they did.”

“You thought it was necessary to keep the truth about my parents’ murder from me? Really?” He raised an eyebrow. “Why is that? Tell me, Romanoff, why was that _necessary_?”

“That’s not… I didn’t mean that. I meant… at the airport.”

“The airport,” he snorted. “You trusted Rogers – while you never trusted _me_ , I might add – and you were dead wrong on that. Guess you don’t read people as well as you thought. But I don’t care about that.” He took a step closer, thought still far away from the cell that she would not be able to reach him if she tried. “What I want to know is why you lied about my parents.” When she did not immediately answer, he continued. “Well, to be honest, I already know why. It’s not like anyone in their right mind would ever have expected honesty and decency from _you_. Rogers, yes. You, not so much. Still, I’m curious to see what bullshit you come up with to explain that.”

“I… I was wrong,” she said in a low voice. “You’re right, I never trusted you. I didn’t think you’d keep your head about the Winter Soldier and it was a volatile situation. It was easier to… let it go. I don’t… I spent so much time looking over my shoulder that I never really… I didn’t give you a fair chance, and that’s my fault.” She looked down. “I’m sorry.”

There was a moment of silence before Sir spoke again. “Hmm, that was… not bad, really. I’d give it a seven maybe. I thought you might go for tears, and that would have ruined the performance completely, so smart choice there. But it’s still a seven. At best.”

Romanoff raised her head again, eyes narrowed.

“What? You thought I’d fall for that bullshit?” Sir rolled his eyes at the former spy. “Give me a break.”

“I mean it,” she insisted.

“Yeah, well, I don’t believe you. And even if I did, it’s too late. Ever heard the story about the boy who cried wolf? Well, guess what? The wolf is here and it’s gonna eat you.” He opened his arms with a smirk. “And you brought this on yourself.”

Her demeanor changed instantly, eyes glazing with fury, fists clenched. “So you won,” she snarled. “And now you get to lord it over me, act like you’re so much _better_.”

Sir didn’t rise to the bait. “I _am_ better than you. I might have made mistakes, but I am not a cold-blooded remorseless killer. As for winning… God, it’s sad that you think any of this was about _winning_.” He shook his head. “Anyway, it’s over. You made your choices and now, like everyone else, you’re gonna have to deal with the consequences. There’s no more SHIELD, no more Avengers, no more Rogers to hide behind. No one is going to fall for your tricks anymore. You’re all alone.” He paused to let that sink in. “I gave you a chance, you know. Against my better judgment perhaps, and you blew it. Did you really think you could manipulate me into helping you now? Do you really think I’m that much of an idiot?”

“And when the big threat comes, you think you can handle it yourself?” There was mocking in her voice, but mostly fear. She knew there was no way out for her.

“Of course not, that’s why I supported the Avengers in the first place. But I’m _not_ alone. I got plenty of people in my corner – just not _you_ assholes. Not to mention the Accords and all that nice international cooperation. And if you really think _you_ could be any real use against another invading alien fleet, your ego problems are way bigger than I thought. You’re really not that special.” He smiled. “Unlike me. I’m actually special. And that’s not ego, that’s a _fact_.”

“So you’ll leave us to rot.”

“Romanoff, it’s not all about _me_. Despite what you seem to think, I’m not king of the world. Good god, that would be such a headache... _I_ have done nothing against you. _You_ signed the Accords and then _you_ screwed them over. _You_ put the world in danger with that Info Dump stunt. Are you really surprised that the world is done with you? Really?”

“I did what I had to do.”

“No, you did what _you_ wanted, what you thought would be better for _you_. And it was the wrong move. Might as well accept it. This…” he gestured to the cell she was in “is all on you. So stop trying to blame other people for the shit _you_ did. For once in your life take a good look at yourself and actually see the _truth_. I know it’s not a concept you’re familiar with, but… well, I guess you’ll have the rest of your life to try and get acquainted with it.”

She said nothing, just stared at him in mute anger and despair. She knew he was right. Gloating really was very nice, Jarvis thought.

“So, is there anything else?” Sir asked, making a show of looking at his watch to let her know just how unimpressed he was with this whole conversation.

“You’re gonna have your own fall from grace one day, Stark. One day, you’ll lose everything too.”

“You know, I really doubt that,” Sir said, supremely unconcerned with that pathetic attempt at a threat. “And do you know why? Because I have people’s support. Not out of fear, not because I manipulate them into liking me with lies and blackmail, but out of respect. Because I _care_ about this world and the people in it. They matter to me as _people_ , and not as tools to be used to suit my own agenda. Maybe one day you’ll understand that. Or maybe you’ll just stew in your own anger and bitterness like so many others. Even in that you’re not really special.” Sir took a step back, his body relaxing. “Well, it’s been… something. I would say it’s been nice knowing you, but… well, that would be a lie. Have a nice life in prison.”

Sir gave Romanoff a cheerful wave and walked out. She stared at his retreating form until he disappeared from her view, then sat back in her corner with her head down.

The Black Widow was finished.


End file.
